Celebrations
by Lena Inverse
Summary: YuuriWolfram, oneshot. Lady Celi loves nothing better than a good party – and an excuse to play matchmaker.


Celebrations

Disclaimer: Kyou Kara Maou is the property of creator Tomo Takabayashi and licensor Geneon Entertainment, Inc.

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Sometimes, Wolfram found it very difficult to deal with his mother. She had always been a rather playful person, someone with a nature more suited to be a hostess than a Queen. She had a more serious side to her, Wolfram knew, a side that usually only emerged when some event or disaster had necessitated that she do her duty as the Queen – or, now, as the Former Queen. But in general, Celi much preferred to be her fun-loving, flirtatious self rather than the stern woman that her position had occasionally demanded, and Wolfram thought that her behavior sometimes bordered on being embarrassing.

Although, Wolfram supposed that being a Former Queen did actually involve a significant amount of entertaining. His mother was all too delighted to demonstrate her skill and charm at that task tonight; with her low-cut dress adorned in silver sparkles glittering along her curvaceous form, she was every inch the glamorous hostess. Every hair was perfectly placed, her makeup flawless. As she escorted Yuuri around the ballroom, one arm casually hooked through his, excitedly introducing him to the various Nobles and guests, Wolfram knew that his mother was completely in her element.

Since she had stepped down from her position, Wolfram had noticed that his mother's serious side had disappeared almost completely, buried beneath a flood of impassioned "free love" speeches and pheromone-scented perfume. It seemed that, now that her days as the Demon Queen were behind her, Celi was content to simply have fun. And Wolfram could respect that, in truth – he had witnessed his mother's pain as she has watched her two older sons leave for war…a war she felt guilty for allowing to happen. So while he occasionally found his mother's behavior scandalous or even a bit embarrassing, Wolfram didn't complain. This was his mother, and he loved her for who she was, and he wouldn't begrudge her the right to enjoy her life now that she was no longer bound to her duties as Queen.

Tonight, however, her behavior had crossed the line from good-natured prodding to outright improper.

In particular, her shameless and constant flirting with Wolfram's fiancé was endlessly infuriating. And when she wasn't shoving Yuuri into her own ample bosom, she was introducing him to pretty women and encouraging his cheating behavior! It was positively maddening, and yet when Wolfram had voiced his displeasure, his mother waved him off with a saucy wink and a comment that he needed to "lighten up and enjoy life."

Wolfram frowned in disapproval as he watched his mother hand Yuuri yet another goblet of wine…it must have been his fifth since the party began a mere two hours ago. Yuuri was already having trouble keeping his balance, and had a ridiculously lopsided grin plastered on his face. Adorable though it might have been, such an expression was completely unsuitable for a King entertaining his subjects.

"Your Majesty, follow me!" Celi said as she pulled Yuuri along by the elbow. "I must introduce you to Lady Amelia, one of the most charming – and eligible – ladies in the Kingdom!"

Honestly, did she have to be so blatant about it? Wolfram would have loved to march over there and grab his wayward fiancé by the ear, drag him away from all those hussies masquerading as Noblewomen, and give him a much-needed lecture on proper decorum. But Wolfram remained still, silently fuming, knowing that there was nothing he could do. Grossly inappropriate behavior or no, Yuuri was the King, and Wolfram's duty was to stand here and ensure that Yuuri was safe.

But that didn't mean he had to like it.

The evening wore on, and Wolfram became more and more resentful of his mother's behavior toward Yuuri. Between her constant refilling of the wine goblet he had yet to put down and her parading Yuuri before a never-ending stream of overeager women, they were quite the spectacle. By midnight, Wolfram had decided that he'd reached his daily tolerance for frustration. He was about to take his leave when his mother's voice rose above the din, and Wolfram paused, curious as to what antics she could possibly be up to now.

"Oh, Your Majesty, you seem exhausted!" Wolfram heard his mother declare in a tone entirely too mischievous for such a simple statement. And then, she put her hand on Yuuri's shoulder and gave him a firm shove in Wolfram's direction.

Wolfram reached out as Yuuri stumbled towards him, a bit off balance. He fell into Wolfram's arms, and Wolfram quickly pulled Yuuri up to keep him on his feet.

There were warm puffs of breath on Wolfram's skin as Yuuri put his arms around Wolfram's shoulders for support, burying his face into the crook of Wolfram's neck. "M'sleepy," Yuuri muttered, his speech slightly slurred.

"Wolf, why don't you take His Majesty to his room?" Celi said, winking at him again. "I'm sure you know the way."

Wolfram nodded, giving his mother a small frown as he pulled his inebriated fiancé against him and began to escort him to his room. Why did she have to give him so much wine?

As they walked, Yuuri inhaled heavily, nuzzling his nose against Wolfram's neck. "Hmm…you smell good…warm, too..." Wolfram shivered as Yuuri laid his cheek against his shoulder. He would never take advantage of Yuuri in such a situation, but all the same, it felt good to have Yuuri leaning against him, so close that Wolfram could feel his heartbeat.

The walk to Yuuri's room seemed far too short – with Yuuri pressed against him like this, Wolfram could have walked a hundred miles before he realized it. It seemed that only a few seconds had passed before Wolfram had laid Yuuri down in his bed and was crossing the room to leave.

Wolfram knew that he had to leave. Usually, he slept by Yuuri's side, regardless of whether Yuuri had actually agreed to the arrangement or not. But the idea of sleeping beside Yuuri when he was in this state, it just felt wrong. If something were to happen, Wolfram would always have to know that it was all because Yuuri drank too much, and it would be nothing but a painful memory.

"Wolf? You're leaving?" asked Yuuri in a steady voice.

Wolfram turned, surprised that Yuuri was sitting up in bed, his face a bit more flushed than it had been a moment ago. 

"Yes, I think it would be best if I left," Wolfram replied softly. "You need your rest."

Yuuri swallowed, blushing even harder. "Stay. Please."

Wolfram sighed; as much as he wanted to stay, it wasn't fair to Yuuri to do so when Yuuri probably wouldn't even remember it in the morning. "I couldn't…you don't realize what you're saying."

Yuuri looked at his lap, fiddling with the fringe of a blanket. "I know what I'm saying," he said firmly, with no trace of a slur, "and I knew what I was doing out there. I just…I wouldn't have been able to…normally. So Lady Celi said that if I had a little drink, I might feel bolder. And then she just started pretending I had more wine than I did, and kept giving me juice instead…" Yuuri trailed off, but finally lifted his gaze to look Wolfram in the eye, blushing furiously. "So, you can stay, if…you want to."

Wolfram stared silently for a moment, a bit stunned. So his mother refilling Yuuri's glass all those times…it was because…

"Do you mean that?" Wolfram whispered. He tried to keep the hopefulness out of his voice; he didn't know what he would do if this all turned out to be just the wine talking, however little Yuuri said he'd consumed.

Yuuri nodded quickly. "Yes."

Wolfram barely managed to hide his relieved sigh. He could hardly believe that Yuuri was actually inviting him to stay, after all this time. But even so…

"Ask me tomorrow, then," he told Yuuri, giving him a small smile. "And be sure not to drink any wine with dinner."

Wolfram stood silently for a moment, taking in Yuuri's warm, innocent smile. Then, he wished his fiancé 'goodnight' and turned to exit the room, feeling a bit lightheaded from a mixture of elation and disbelief.

While walking down the corridor to return to the party, Wolfram came upon his mother, who seemed to be engaging in a rather jovial conversation with three of the visiting Noblemen.

"Wolf, are you back so soon?" his mother asked, seeming genuinely surprised.

"Yes, Mother," Wolfram said. "Our King needs his rest tonight. But tomorrow is another day." He looked into his mother's eyes, hoping that she understood his gratitude.

A gentle smile lit up Celi's face for a split second, but then her familiar, playful grin returned. "Oh, how true! Come then, Wolf, let's return to the party – the night is still young! You simply _must_ see the spectacle that Gwendal is creating…it seems that, inexplicably, some of my special perfume happened to splash on Günter!" Celi took Wolfram's arm and began to walk toward the ballroom, excitedly going on about love being in the air.

Sometimes, Wolfram really loved his mother.

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Comments and concrit are appreciated. Thanks for reading!


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